The MEDICA Start-up Competition is judged on a stage inside MEDICA itself, the medical technology trade fair staged by Messe Duesseldorf. Entry is open to startups anywhere in the world.
Four tracks are run: AI in medicine, robotics, laboratory diagnostics, and cybersecurity and resilience.
There is no cash prize and no stake is taken, so what a finalist gets is stage time in front of the fair's audience. The scale of that audience is the argument for entering: MEDICA runs 16-19 November 2026 at the Dusseldorf fairground over four days and draws in the region of 78,000 attendees. Entries close on 10 September 2026.
What it actually costs you
Medical technology teams pitch on the MEDICA trade fair stage in Dusseldorf, across tracks covering AI in medicine, robotics, laboratory diagnostics, and cybersecurity and resilience. The contest is open to startups anywhere in the world. There is no cash prize and no equity is taken, so the return is stage time and exposure to the health-industry audience the fair draws rather than funding.